City Council Meeting September 17th, 2026

The City Council meeting of Cookeville, Tennessee, held on September 17, 2026, included several procurement and budget-related discussions. The council approved a three-year renewal contract for the city's Microsoft redaction assistant and a year-two payment on a four-year contract with Axon for auto-tagging licenses related to police in-car and body cameras. They also awarded bids for inventory items for the water control department and declared a 1994 Freightliner fire truck surplus. A significant agenda item was the authorization of a two-year contract renewal with Flock Safety for 10 automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) at a cost of $60,000, which sparked extensive public debate over privacy and constitutional concerns. The council also approved acceptance of a hazardous materials emergency preparedness grant requiring a budget amendment, and authorized application for a $350,000 SCIP grant to support mental health crisis intervention services. Additionally, the council authorized bond counsel and municipal advisers for a proposed $20 million general obligation bond issuance to fund various infrastructure projects, including the 39 Depot project, fire training facility, and road improvements. Motions related to these contracts and budget items were passed unanimously. Public comments focused heavily on privacy and surveillance issues related to ALPR technology, while council members emphasized the constitutional legality and public safety benefits of the technology.